Soon after, as Li Yan remembered the storage bag that held those three spiritual stones, he respectfully asked, "Seventh Senior Brother, what exactly is this storage bag, and how do I use it?"
Lin Da Qiao glanced at Li Yan and, with a fluid motion of his long arm, picked up Li Yan's own storage bag from the table. Pointing to it, he explained, "In the immortal world, a storage bag is one of the more frequently used storage artifacts. There are, of course, various other types of storage devices or talismans—some fashioned like rings, others like belts or bracelets, with countless bizarre shapes. But such storage vessels require not only extremely high craftsmanship but also materials that are very hard to come by. In contrast, the raw material for a storage bag is relatively common.
"Inside any storage device exists an independent pocket space, a different realm from the one we currently occupy. In effect, carrying such an artifact means that you're always carrying a slice of extra space with you. Only masters well-versed in spatial immortal arts or those belonging to specialized artifact-making families can craft these devices. Even among the Four Great Sects, each sect typically has only three or four artifact masters. Moreover, storage devices are graded into low, medium, and high levels. The primary difference between them is the size of the inner space. The storage bag we're using now is of the lowest grade—it provides only around one or two zhang (roughly 10–20 feet) of internal space. It simply cannot hold very bulky items—and it cannot accommodate living things either, for the pocket space lacks breathable air, so any living creature placed inside would suffocate."
Lin Da Qiao paused as he continued, "Because our low-level storage bag has no intrinsic protective mechanism, any cultivator who obtains one could potentially retrieve its contents if not careful. That is why you must guard your storage bag with extreme caution. However, these low-grade devices have one redeeming quality: their internal space is essentially a 'micro-crack' that remains closely connected to our current space. This tiny passage rarely fragments any further; under the influence of the ambient forces of the greater space, the connection remains stable. In the event that the storage bag is destroyed, the items stored inside will likely fall out into the real world rather than being lost into a chaotic flow of other dimensions.
"In contrast, medium- and high-grade storage devices open into vast, almost completely separate external spaces. Because these spaces are so remote from our current realm, establishing a stable connection requires extremely rare and precious materials. Such devices are typically inscribed with a personal divine sense signature along with restrictive spells. If someone were to forcibly open one without safely neutralizing that imprint, the passage would collapse and the device would trigger a self-destruct, ultimately damaging or scattering its contents across random space flows."
His tone then softened as he noted, "Even so, even a basic storage bag is tremendously precious—after all, it is a talisman-grade artifact. Not every cultivator will ever come to own a worthy spiritual artifact or talisman in their lifetime. In our sect, only official disciples receive these, while those relegated to menial tasks, though still disciples, do not get one. For example, in some second-tier sects only Foundation Establishment disciples are equipped with them, and in my old third-tier sect there were barely a dozen storage bags for the entire sect."
For a brief moment, Lin Da Qiao's expression grew somber—a flash of nostalgia and regret passing over his face as he recalled the hardships of his own sect, where many of his uncles and senior mentors, who had dedicated their lives to cultivation, never received the treatment the Outer Gate disciples of the Four Great Sects enjoyed. "That was my home," he murmured almost to himself, "the very place where my cultivation journey began, where my first master and my early fellows once learned alongside me."
Li Yan, however, only noted that his Seventh Senior Brother's tone had grown unexpectedly grave. He couldn't fully understand the depth of his elder's memories—only that something in those words made his heart feel heavy.
Shaking off his lingering thoughts, Li Yan focused on the task at hand. He recalled the method his elder had just taught him. With newfound determination, he extended his divine sense toward the small sword resting on the table. One branch of his mental energy reached out and latched onto the sword, while another probed toward the opening of the storage bag. In that moment, two vivid images suddenly burst into his mind: first, the sword appeared connected to him by an almost invisible thread—a filament he felt he could manipulate at will; second, he was shown a peculiar pocket space roughly two zhang in diameter. In that space, objects appeared slightly distorted—a few spiritual stones lay silently, alongside some clothing and even a small porcelain bottle.
Contemplating the method his Seventh Senior Brother had described, Li Yan gently pulled on that thread of divine sense tethering the sword. To his amazement, the small sword slowly began to lift off the table. In the next heartbeat, the two streams of divine sense—one holding the sword, the other controlling the bag's opening—merged together. When he looked back at the table with his eyes, the small sword had entirely vanished from sight.
Wasting no time, Li Yan projected his divine sense once more toward the storage bag. In his mind, the mysterious inner realm unfurled itself: there, lying peacefully inside the space, was the small sword. Overjoyed, Li Yan savored the magical sensation of having successfully stored an item. Almost immediately, he focused his divine sense on one of the spiritual stones inside the bag. As he coaxed it forth, a brilliant white flash erupted at the bag's mouth—and soon, a single spiritual stone materialized on the table.
"Little junior, you truly are capable of using your divine sense," Lin Da Qiao remarked from beside him, his tone laden with both admiration and envy. "That is impressive—very impressive indeed."
Seeing that Li Yan had mastered the basics of operating the storage bag, Lin Da Qiao then shifted the conversation to the practical use of the small sword and the flight artifact—that is, the manipulation of spiritual energy. He explained that using one's spiritual power was considerably simpler compared to the more delicate manipulations of divine sense. After another quarter-hour or so spent on demonstration and discussion, it appeared that the fundamental teachings had been thoroughly covered.
"Little junior," Lin Da Qiao said, his tone now both instructive and reflective, "what I've taught you today are merely the basic necessities common to all cultivators. There is still an abundance of knowledge that cannot be conveyed simply through words—it must be experienced firsthand. When you reach the sixth layer of your Nascent Qi stage, you'll have a chance to wander about a bit, and you'll begin to understand more by exploring on your own. Moreover, our sect's treasure halls contain a wealth of books on odd legends and the hidden histories of cultivation, as well as records of the cultivation insights of our predecessors. These volumes are generally free of charge, and they are invaluable for learning from the experiences of those who came before us. If you ever feel hungry, just inform the menial workers at the task hall—and someone will deliver you a meal. In fact, you can even arrange a schedule, so that food is brought to you at a designated time each day. For example, Seventh Senior Brother and I eat very sparingly nowadays—usually, we only take a single fasting pill, and only when our appetites really demand it do we have the food prepared."
He paused, then added, "Later today I'll speak with the Grand Elder about the courtyard you've chosen. Tomorrow morning, he will come to guide you to the treasure hall so that you can select your cultivation techniques and immortal arts."
After offering a few more parting admonitions, Lin Da Qiao prepared to leave. At that moment, a thought struck Li Yan. "By the way, Seventh Senior Brother—earlier, you mentioned something called the 'Soul Lamp.' What exactly is that?"
Lin Da Qiao smiled warmly. "Ah, the Soul Lamp—it's quite easy to understand. You know the old saying that a person has seven souls and three spirits?"
Li Yan nodded. In mortal folklore, that was indeed how it was explained, though he had once been half-skeptical because it was something you couldn't see or touch. Now, however, he found himself beginning to believe it.
"Once a cultivator in our sect successfully establishes their Foundation, a thread of their refined soul is used to ignite a Soul Lamp. When lit, regardless of your location—even if you're millions of li away—the Lamp will serve as a beacon, revealing your status. Should your life or Dao come to an end, the Soul Lamp will extinguish. This way, the sect can always ascertain the state of its high-level cultivators. Furthermore, if a cultivator betrays or deserts the sect after their Soul Lamp is ignited, the direction of that betrayal can be deduced by the Lamp's light. It is even said that by the time a cultivator reaches the Nascent Soul stage, they can, from a distance, eliminate an enemy solely by tracing the Soul Lamp's signature. Of course, I've heard that such feats not only require Nascent Soul cultivation but also the mastery of secret soul techniques. That, too, is but hearsay."
He continued casually, "You see, when a cultivator successfully establishes their Foundation, they must immediately go to the Old Lord Peak's Soul Lamp Hall to ignite their Soul Lamp. This has been drilled into us from a very young age—we are taught never to stray from the Dao, and thus this system is regarded as entirely natural."
Listening quietly, Li Yan's mind churned with conflicting emotions. "Always having your condition monitored, and even facing the possibility of being killed remotely by a Nascent Soul cultivator…that is not what I desire for myself. Once I establish my Foundation, how am I to break free of such constant surveillance?" Although these thoughts stirred within him, his expression remained polite, a slight smile masking his inner anxiety. After all, establishing his Foundation still lay in the distant future.
Lin Da Qiao, noting Li Yan's polite reaction, rose to his feet. He gathered the waist medallion from the table and held it aloft, a jet of black light flashing as he waved it outside the courtyard's main gate. "Be sure to authenticate your waist medallion with your own blood as soon as possible," he advised. "Time is of the essence." With that final instruction, he bid Li Yan farewell and gracefully drifted away through the gate.
Li Yan watched his Seventh Senior Brother disappear before returning to the living room. First, he picked up the token he'd been given and examined it. Since he now understood that cultivators use divine sense to study reading materials, he released his divine sense into the token. After a short period—roughly the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea—he withdrew his divine sense and then once again projected it to the storage bag.
This time, he focused on retrieving the small sword. Following his earlier mental technique, he gently manipulated his divine sense. In a moment of wonder, he noticed—with his inner eye—that a clear mental image had formed. In it, the small sword appeared tethered by a delicate, nearly invisible string of divine energy to him, as if it were connected by an ethereal thread. Simultaneously, his vision revealed a strange pocket dimension roughly two zhang wide, where its contents were slightly warped. In that internal space lay a few spiritual stones, several pieces of clothing, and even a small porcelain bottle.
Recalling his Seventh Senior Brother's instructions, Li Yan slowly tugged on the divine thread attached to the small sword. To his astonishment, the sword began to ascend off the table. In the very next instant, his twin streams of divine sense merged together, and when he looked again, the sword was gone from the table. Hastily, he redirected his divine sense into the storage bag. In his mind, the elusive inner space reappeared—and there it was: the small sword resting peacefully inside. Overcome with joy, Li Yan savored the marvelous sensation.
Not content to stop there, he then focused his divine sense on one of the spiritual stones stored within. With a subtle pull and release of his mental power, he saw the bag's entrance shimmer with a burst of white light—and a solitary spiritual stone emerged onto the table.
"Little junior, you truly can use your divine sense," came the approving voice of his Seventh Senior Brother from beside him. "That is remarkable—simply remarkable."
Satisfied with Li Yan's success in mastering the storage bag's basics, Lin Da Qiao proceeded to expound upon the applications of the small sword and the flight artifact. He explained that the manipulation of spiritual energy—its practical use in these items—is far simpler than the delicate art of divine sense projection. After about another fifteen minutes of detailed instruction, it seemed that the basic lessons had been nearly exhausted.
"Little junior," Lin Da Qiao said, "what I have taught you today are fundamental principles that every cultivator should know. However, many finer points of cultivation cannot simply be explained—they must be experienced out in the world for yourself. When you advance to the sixth layer of Nascent Qi, you'll be able to explore the vicinity on your own. There is also much more that I do not yet know. Fortunately, our sect's treasure halls contain a vast trove of books on curious legends, cultivation lore, and even firsthand accounts of our predecessors' training insights. You can borrow these books when you have time; most of them are free of charge. They might prove invaluable as you learn from the experience of those who came before. And if you ever find yourself in need of a meal, just head over to the menial section and let them know—someone will deliver food to you, or even arrange for a fixed time each day. For example, the likes of Seventh Senior Brother and I now eat very sparingly—we usually survive on just one fasting pill, and only when we hunger do we have food prepared."
He then added, "Later, I'll speak with the Grand Elder regarding the courtyard you've chosen. Tomorrow morning, he will come and escort you to the treasure hall so that you can select your cultivation techniques and immortal arts."
With that, Lin Da Qiao felt he had imparted all he could for the day. As he rose to leave, Li Yan suddenly remembered one more crucial point. "Oh—Seventh Senior Brother, earlier you mentioned something about the Soul Lamp? What is that exactly?"
Lin Da Qiao laughed lightly. "Ah, the Soul Lamp. It's rather straightforward. You know how in folklore a person is said to have seven souls and three spirits?"
Li Yan nodded, recalling that such stories had been passed around in mortal tales—tales he had once regarded with skepticism. Now, however, he found himself more inclined to believe.
"Once a cultivator in our sect reaches Foundation Establishment, a spark of their refined soul is used to ignite a Soul Lamp. When the Soul Lamp is lit, no matter how far you may roam—even millions of li away—the sect will always be able to monitor your condition. Should you perish or your Dao become extinguished, the Soul Lamp will go out. In this way the sect can always keep track of its high-level cultivators. Moreover, if a cultivator betrays or departs from the sect after their Soul Lamp has been ignited, the Lamp will roughly indicate their direction. I've even heard that a Nascent Soul cultivator might be able, via the Soul Lamp alone, to remotely eliminate an enemy—but that feat is said to require not only Nascent Soul strength but also mastery of secret soul techniques. That, too, I've only heard about in rumor."
Lin Da Qiao continued without hesitation, "Take, for instance, Lian Shan from Lingchong Peak—the deserter who never managed to ignite his Soul Lamp. Tracking him was extremely troublesome. Nowadays, the sect's rules have become much stricter; as soon as a cultivator establishes Foundation, they must immediately go to the Old Lord Peak's Soul Lamp Hall to ignite their Soul Lamp."
His words were spoken almost mechanically, as if the idea of never betraying the sect had been drilled into him since childhood—a natural order he had long accepted.
Li Yan listened intently while inwardly churning with disquiet. Always having your condition monitored—and worse, facing the possibility of being remotely eliminated by a Nascent Soul cultivator—that isn't the kind of fate I ever want. Once I establish my Foundation, how can I possibly escape such control? Despite these unsettling thoughts, he managed only a slight smile in acknowledgement; after all, Foundation Establishment was still a distant goal.
Soon enough, Lin Da Qiao rose. After all his lectures for the day, he gathered his things. Picking up the waist medallion from the table, he swung it slightly toward the courtyard door, and a jet of black light flashed as a narrow slit of white mist appeared at the gate. "Be sure to authenticate your waist medallion with your own blood as soon as possible," he chided. "Time is precious." With that final instruction, he bid Li Yan farewell and drifted away from the courtyard as if carried by the wind.
Watching his Seventh Senior Brother vanish from sight, Li Yan finally returned to the living room. He first picked up the token issued to him and studied it. Already aware that cultivators typically use divine sense when "reading" or analyzing objects, he released his divine sense into the token. After roughly the time it took him to drink half a cup of tea, he retracted his divine sense and then once again projected it toward the storage bag. This time, he focused on retrieving the small sword. With a careful manipulation, his mental image grew clearer: he saw the sword attached by that delicate divine thread and the mysterious pocket space displaying several items. With a gentle tug along that thread, he watched in astonishment as the small sword slowly lifted off the table. In the very next moment, his dual streams of divine sense merged completely, and when he looked back, the small sword was nowhere to be seen on the table.
Acting quickly, Li Yan projected his divine sense once more toward the storage bag. In his mind's eye, the secret inner realm reappeared, with the small sword resting silently inside. Overcome with delight, he slowly relished this magical sensation. Then he turned his focus to one of the spiritual stones hidden within. With a subtle pull and release, he saw the bag's opening shimmer with a burst of white light; in an instant, a single spiritual stone emerged onto the table.
"Little junior, you truly have mastered releasing your divine sense," came Lin Da Qiao's approving voice from beside him, his face still tinged with envy. "That is very impressive."
After confirming that Li Yan could indeed use the storage bag, Lin Da Qiao proceeded to explain the applications of the small sword and the flight artifact—a lesson on the practical use of spiritual energy. He noted that manipulating spiritual power was relatively straightforward when compared to the finer art of manipulating divine sense. After roughly another fifteen minutes of discussion, it seemed the core foundational knowledge had been covered.
"Little junior," Lin Da Qiao said as he began wrapping up, "the basics I've taught you today are standard among cultivators. But there is far more knowledge that cannot simply be explained in words—it can only be learned through experience. When you reach the sixth layer of Nascent Qi, go out and explore a bit. In time, you'll come to understand much more. Also, our sect's treasure halls are filled with books on fascinating legends, obscure anecdotes, and even firsthand records of predecessors' cultivation experiences. You're encouraged to borrow these texts during your free time; best of all, most of them are available free of charge. And if you ever get hungry, just inform the menial workers at the task hall—they'll have food brought to you, or even arrange a fixed meal delivery time. For instance, Seventh Senior Brother and I nowadays barely eat—we usually suffice with just one fasting pill, only having extra meals delivered when necessary."
He paused and then added, "Later today, I'll speak with the Grand Elder about the courtyard you've selected. Tomorrow morning, he will come and guide you to the treasure hall so you can choose your cultivation techniques and immortal arts."
Feeling that he had said all he could for the day, Lin Da Qiao was about to leave when Li Yan remembered one more question. "By the way, Seventh Senior Brother—earlier you mentioned something called the 'Soul Lamp.' Could you explain what that is?"
With a gentle smile, Lin Da Qiao replied, "Ah, the Soul Lamp is quite simple to understand. You know that in mortal lore, it is said that a person has 'seven souls and three spirits,' don't you?"
Li Yan nodded. In those old tales he had once half-believed, souls were elusive and intangible. Now, however, the concept began to resonate with him.
"Once a cultivator in our sect successfully establishes their Foundation, a spark of their refined soul is used to ignite a Soul Lamp. With the Soul Lamp lit, no matter where you are—even if you are miles and miles away—our sect will always be able to monitor your status. If you die or your Dao fades, the Soul Lamp will extinguish, letting us know immediately. Additionally, if you betray the sect after your Soul Lamp has been lit, its light will reveal your direction. I've even heard that a Nascent Soul cultivator might be able to strike down someone from afar using the Soul Lamp alone. Of course, that likely requires not only Nascent Soul strength but also mastery of secret soul techniques. That, too, is merely rumor at this point."
Lin Da Qiao continued in his expectant tone, "For example, it is said that the deserter Lian Shan from Lingchong Peak never managed to ignite his Soul Lamp, which made him extraordinarily difficult to track. Nowadays, the sect enforces this strictly—no cultivator is allowed to delay; as soon as Foundation Establishment is achieved, you must go to the Old Lord Peak's Soul Lamp Hall to light your Soul Lamp."
Though these words were delivered casually, Li Yan's mind churned with apprehension. To be constantly monitored…and even face the possibility of being struck down at a distance by Nascent Soul practitioners—that is not something I want for myself. Once I establish my Foundation, I must somehow find a way to break free of this constant oversight. Despite the turmoil of his thoughts, his face remained calm, and he only offered a slight smile in acknowledgment—after all, Foundation Establishment was still a far-off milestone.
Seeing that his words had been received without question, Lin Da Qiao stood, gathered his things, and bid Li Yan farewell. He picked up his own waist medallion from the table, swung it toward the courtyard's entrance, and a jet of dark light shimmered briefly as a gap of white mist appeared at the gate. "Remember," he cautioned, "authenticate your waist medallion with some of your own blood as soon as possible." With that, he departed smoothly, as if carried by the wind.
Left alone in the courtyard, Li Yan smiled as he watched Lin Da Qiao's retreat. Returning to the living room, he first picked up the token he'd been given. Now that he understood cultivators often use divine sense to "read" objects, he projected his divine sense into the token. After about half a cup of tea's time passed, he retracted his divine sense and then directed it again to the storage bag. Using his inner vision, he carefully manipulated his divine sense—focusing it on retrieving the small sword—and then, with practiced precision, lightly cut his finger so that a few fresh drops of blood fell. With his other hand, he brought the token close to the blood droplets. Suddenly, the waist medallion emitted a piercing red light. In that instant, Li Yan felt as though his token and his waist medallion had come into contact—a connection so profound that even without active projection of his divine sense, he could now issue commands merely by thought.
Following the instructions contained within the waist medallion, Li Yan concentrated and, while sitting in the living room, observed as the white mist at the courtyard gate—previously forming a narrow slit—merged once more along the wall and door, reforming a perfect circle of mist.
Next, he carefully manipulated the token in close proximity to the protective formation. In several deliberate attempts, he transformed the formation into various patterns. According to the token's inscriptions, the array may adopt several modes: illusion, offense, or defense. At present, his was set to a single defensive configuration. With practice, he would eventually be able to combine several modes into one, though doing so would invariably consume large amounts of spiritual stones. Every formation, after all, requires those precious stones.
Taking a leisurely walk around the courtyard, he noted that in the corners of the walls were small slots for spiritual stones—special devices provided monthly by the sect. Although he might use these stones for additional cultivation, it was uncommon to do so. In every cultivator's dwelling, a personal protection array is always active; no one wishes to have their private space unexpectedly breached.
He further reasoned that if he were to operate only one mode of the array, the available stones might last until the next monthly allotment. However, if multiple modes were activated simultaneously, spiritual stone consumption would skyrocket—and if he ran short, he would have to provide stones from his own pocket. As a new disciple blessed only with three meager low-grade spiritual stones, he prudently chose to experiment with one mode at a time.
After playing with the token for a while and familiarizing himself with the basics of array manipulation, Li Yan tucked the token safely into his pocket and then strolled through the various rooms. The resting room contained only a single bed and a small table; the cultivation room was even more sparse, furnished with merely two training mats on the floor; the animal-keeping room featured a pool constructed from jade-like stone, though it was empty; the alchemy room, apart from an unadorned bamboo frame designed to support pills, was bare; and the living room, aside from the table, chairs, and tea set, was entirely uncluttered. While one might describe the setup as elegantly minimal, in truth it was extremely spartan.
Standing in the living room, Li Yan surveyed the modest tea set and thought wryly that he didn't even have a proper space to boil water. He lacked any advanced cultivation techniques, and upon glancing outside the window it was already dusk. With a soft sigh, he realized he would have to make his way to the menial section to fetch a meal.
When he returned a short while later, he was carrying a water jug. Entering the courtyard, he reactivated his protective formation. At that moment, he tapped upon his waist medallion and storage bag—and on the table before him appeared several neatly packaged meals. Looking from the dishes to the water jug in his hand, Li Yan couldn't help but smile ruefully. Earlier, when he had just arrived at the menial hall, the workers were preparing to serve meals. Not one to be picky, Li Yan ordered a few packages and arranged that beginning the next day, food would be delivered at predetermined times—he would not be shortchanged. The young men and women there, who were cultivators of around the fifth or sixth Nascent Qi layer, all nodded in agreement, their expressions curious; after all, in ordinary times, they rarely took meals seriously.
Finally, Li Yan did something that further astonished everyone present. He requested a jug of boiling water—and then he carried the jug away along with the water itself. As dozens of pairs of surprised eyes watched him, his face growing red with embarrassment, Li Yan couldn't help but feel the weight of his inexperience. He didn't yet know any advanced techniques—he couldn't create fire by himself. And when he clutched the jug filled with boiling water, he wasn't sure if placing it inside his storage bag would risk spilling. Yet he had to try. So, he stored the packed food into his storage bag. Amid the astonished stares of the menial workers, Li Yan strode away with the water jug in hand.
Shaking his head, he then proceeded to clean the tea set thoroughly and refilled several cups of tea. Using his divine sense once more, he extracted every item from within his storage bag. Carefully, he placed the water jug—still more than half full of boiling water—back inside the storage bag. He then inverted the bag several times and finally retrieved it again, verifying that its contents remained unchanged. Satisfied, he nodded quietly.
After finishing his meal and tea, Li Yan headed to the cultivation room, determined to inspect his own cultivation level in order to plan his future training. Closing the door behind him so that no sound from the protective array outside disturbed his solitude, he sat cross-legged on a training mat. After a few moments of deep, regulated breathing, he turned his attention inward with an inner vision.
After roughly half a cup of tea's time had passed, Li Yan slowly opened his eyes. He now confirmed that he had reached the second layer of Nascent Qi. The five energy "containers" within him had grown slightly larger—currently, only the first container (the one that stored the most water energy) contained a small amount (just over half) of spiritual qi, while the other four were essentially empty. Yet he clearly sensed that the qi in that primary container, though not abundant, was much more condensed compared to the diffuse, almost weightless qi he had felt earlier. Though his qi remained gas-like, it seemed more tangible—almost as if it carried a trace of moisture, making it denser and more real.
Moreover, Li Yan could clearly feel that the potency of his qi had increased by at least two or three times compared to before. Indeed, every advancement in cultivation is far more than mere arithmetic addition.
As for his divine sense, it too had grown several times stronger. Projecting it outside his body was no longer an issue. He sent his divine sense once again to carefully scan his surroundings. However, his divine sense was still relatively limited; he couldn't fully cover the entire room. Rising to his feet, he closed his eyes and mentally visualized a portion of the room. As he moved, the scene in his mind shifted fluidly, allowing him to navigate without relying solely on his sight. This ability filled him with great joy, and his playful spirit soared. He even stepped out into the courtyard with his eyes closed, effortlessly avoiding the stone table, stone stools, and other obstacles. Only upon reaching the courtyard wall did the white mist—lining the wall—repel his divine sense, preventing him from perceiving further behind it.
After a short time, however, Li Yan suddenly felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his head and a wave of nausea. Alarmed, he quickly opened his eyes and retracted his divine sense, then sat down on a stone stool in the courtyard. He remained there for a long while, trying to calm himself and stanch the feeling of vomiting. Although his mind felt foggy and his back was drenched in sweat as his body trembled uncontrollably, after another cup of tea's time had passed, he gradually recovered enough to sit quietly, pondering over his condition. He deduced that these symptoms were likely due to overuse of both his spiritual qi and divine sense. He could sense that his inner qi reserves had nearly bottomed out; only a few sparse strands of qi still drifted feebly within his energy containers, and the more condensed qi in his primary water container had almost vanished.
To further confirm his thoughts, Li Yan returned to the cultivation room and sat cross-legged again, practicing the Guishui True Classic method. Slowly, time passed. After about three hours, Li Yan opened his eyes once more—but his expression was one of confusion. Even after three hours of focused cultivation, his qi had only recovered to about seventy or eighty percent of its full capacity. The pace was so slow that it made him feel as if he were dragging along like an old ox; in this field, though the ambient spiritual qi was extremely dense, his recuperation was even slower than the rate he had experienced when training in the military office.
Now, Li Yan resolved to further investigate the issue of divine sense consumption by once again projecting his divine sense inward to scrutinize the circulation and movement of his remaining qi. After three deep, measured breaths, he slowly retracted his divine sense and began to concentrate on the matter.